Four people including three children died after a school bus overturned near Salarpur village in Uttar Pradesh's Barabanki on Tuesday evening.

Reportedly, thirty-two children were injured in the accident that took place when the children were on their way back to Suratganj after a picnic in Lucknow.

Additional Superintendent of Police (ASP) Akhilesh Narayan said that the bus was travelling at a high speed and, in an effort to avoid a collision with a motorcycle rider, it suddenly changed direction and overturned.

Of the 32 injured children, four were referred to a medical facility in Lucknow by a local hospital, police said.

The deceased children were in the age group of 12 to 13 years.

The bus belonged to the Harakka Composite School in Suratganj. The children had gone to Lucknow for a picnic.

According to reports, police reached the spot and with the help of the villagers, they started the rescue operation.

A school teacher who was also in the bus told ANI, "We went to Lucknow on an educational trip with a staff of five people. After completing the educational tour, we were returning towards Suratganj. Then the bus went out of control in a bid to save the bike rider and overturned on the side of the road."

The incident has been confirmed by CN Sinha, the Additional Superintendent of Police (ASP) of Barabanki.

Sinha stated that four children have lost their lives, while the remaining children have been taken to the district hospital for medical care.

He told ANI, "Today, around 6 pm, a school bus carrying students and teachers was returning from an educational trip from Lucknow. On Dewa-Fatehpur Road, a bike suddenly came in front of the bus and to save the bike, the bus met with an accident. Four people have been killed in the incident and several others are injured. All have been admitted to a hospital for treatment."

Union Defence Minister Rajnath Singh in a post on X wrote, "The road accident that happened in Barabanki, Uttar Pradesh is heartbreaking," as he condoled for the death of the children, he added, "My deepest condolences to the families of all the deceased including the children. I wish the speedy recovery of all the injured. The local administration is providing all possible help to the victims."